This winter I had the place storing my camper grease the axles on my camper. Last weekend was the first trip of the year and when I got to the campsite, the center of my axle was popped out and the cover thing was flopping around.I tried to push it back on through the hole but had no luck. I figured I would just take a look when I got it back home. It looks like it just pushes on? I have never taken one of these apart to see how it works.Does it just push back on? Could it flopping around cause any damage? I would like to know what I am dealing with before I talk to the mechanic about this.It looks like it just pushes in? Why would it even come out in the first place? I have roughly 5K miles which is why I had them address the bearing. It's been fine until they went in.

Not an expert! (1) Jack up the tire and firmly Grip the tire and move it side to side. iF there is NO movement (2) remove the tire and tap the cap back in place. If you had movement your bearing are loose. REPLACE THEM...DO NOT DRIVE ANYWHERE

cyntdon2010 wrote:Not an expert! (1) Jack up the tire and firmly Grip the tire and move it side to side. it there is NO movement (2) remove the tire and tap the cap back in place. If you had movement your bearing are loose. REPLACE THEM...DO NOT DRIVE ANYWHEREListen to this advice, not only is the dust cap off, it looks like the hub is off center. Whatever you do, don't move another inch till that wheel is pulled and inspected. If you are very lucky, the cap was just a loose fit when it was hammered in. I would also inspect the other ones as well because this might have been done by professional klutz.

Wonder why it came off. Maybe to much grease could do it.

If the bearing service you mentioned was done by removing the hub from the spindle and packing the bearings individualy, most likely the mechanic just failed to install the grease cap back to it's seated position and it came loose and just needs to be tapped back into it's seated position. Just pumping grease into the bearings through the nipple should not have caused it because the excess grease just comes out around the outer edge of the hub and into the grease cap, then usually the excess is wiped off and the rubber insert is put back in place. No pressure could build up at the cap.For safety's sake I would jack up the axle under the spring hanger and roll the tire checking for excess play as described previously just to make sure the outer bearing is ok for now. If no excess play then it will be fine to tow it home.

Thanks Walter. Always have packed my bearings by removing them.

Axle question | Good Sam Community

RoyBell
Explorer
Jul 24, 2018
You can see the head of it around the 1:00 position. They were on both axles I inspected.
troubledwaters
Explorer III
Jul 24, 2018
Should have a cotter pin through the nut or a retainer that looks like this
ford_truck_guy
Nomad
Jul 24, 2018
I DO NOT see a retainer clip, or cotter pin to stop that hex nut from backing off....??
RoyBell
Explorer
Jul 24, 2018
I pulled the wheel off. The cap was just loose. Everything looks OK from what I can tell. I cleaned off the exccess grease and pounded the cap back on. I pulled off the other wheel on the same side and the cap was also not attached. Cleaned it up and pounded back on.

Both caps on the other side were on snug. Someone must had been lazy on one side.

back to normal
ford_truck_guy
Nomad
Jul 06, 2018
RoyBell wrote:
It's just the cap piece that is loose.

AS LONG as you checked to see if there was not any movement in the bearings... It does look like just the cap came off, but I would want to be 100% sure the bearings and grease are still fine...
RoyBell
Explorer
Jul 06, 2018
It's just the cap piece that is loose.
BarabooBob
Explorer III
Jul 06, 2018
I have heard of several people losing the bearing cover after a shop serviced the bearings. I use a large pipe that fits over the cover and onto the flange of the cover to replace my bearing caps. I just tap the pipe with a hammer until I hear the cap being seated. I have not lose a cover since I started doing this.
MitchF150
Explorer III
Jul 06, 2018
To me, that looks like just a basic hub cap with a zerk in it to pump grease in....

I think your storage place just pumped grease in there and called it good.. Why it popped out, no idea.

Just gotta pull the hub and check it all out.

Good luck!

Mitch
Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Jul 06, 2018
Maybe it's just he camera angle but it looks like the bearing is junk to me?
azrving
Explorer
Jul 06, 2018
Maybe they reused the cap. Sometimes you can and sometimes .........

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